Obsession is a powerful thing. This is especially true when dealing with teens in high schools. Events take on more significance while dealing with body changes and hormones coursing through the blood stream. The obsession theme permeates throughout LOVE ME, a passable thriller that doesn’t quite succeed but doesn’t fail either.
LOVE ME starts with a possible murder. Melissa (Kristina Elliott) is a cute blond trying to get away from someone in a dark car. Who is this menacing figure? This will have to remain a mystery until later on when all is revealed. Director Rick Bota shows bits and pieces of the crime throughout in different perspectives. Fast forward three months later and Melissa is on missing poster and life has seemingly moved on. LOVE ME is labeled a thriller, but there really are few thrills to be had. There are tense moments here and there, but really the film fails in this regard. You just have to manufacture your scares while watching.
I did like the relationships that are displayed at a swanky prep school as the setting. We have the main protagonist in Sylvia (Lindsey Shaw). She would be considered a wallflower in movie terms, but attractive in real life. Sylvia has had a rough go in recent yrs with a traumatic experience forcing her to switch schools. She’s a real romantic who looks fondly at people in love, but she’s a bit gun shy in that department. Several things she keeps to herself and her hobby of miniatures helps with her psyche. Her father has been out of the picture for a while, so that is another thing that weighs heavily on her. I’ve been a fan of Shaw since she was in the sitcom Aliens in America. She has a natural way about her that is quite appealing. Shaw’s ability to show emotions whether they are bad or good lifts the script whenever she is on the screen.
Sylvia has three friends that she hangs out with. There is Harry (Jean-Luc Bilodeau), who has been harboring a crush for Sylvia since childhood but they are in the dreaded friend zone. Harry works at a comic book store and like Sylvia has some issues at home. Dayln (Kaitlyn Wong) would be considered the hot friend. Her speciality seems to rolling her eyes at the absurdity of the things around her. Katie (Mikaela Cochrane) is the bubbly friend who wants everyone to get along. People will quickly recognize that type. Their world gets thrown into a loop with the entrance of bad boy Lucas (Jamie Johnston). Lucas was dating Melissa when she went missing. The police have been following him closely ever since. Lucas takes a shining to Sylvia and this development is not met with open arms from her friends. There are various reasons for this which I won’t divulge, but they are understandable.
The strength of LOVE ME is the courtship between Lucas and Sylvia. It feels authentic and true. Lucas likes the inner tranquility of writing which corresponds well with Sylvia’s miniature hobby. They also share a bond of dysfunctional families and indie music. Lucas’s family is rich, but they are never around. Lucas can easily relate to Sylvia not having her father around. The script does telegraph things a bit too much at times. You just know that Sylvia will eventually have a confrontation with her old nemesis and this in turn will provoke a response from Lucas. That scene is supposed to tell you what you need to know about Lucas, but I found it quite convenient and fake. Soundtracks can be distracting in teen oriented films. Directors go overboard with various songs that dictate to you how the characters are feeling. At first that is the case here. Bota then wisely dialed it back before it became overwhelming.
A keen eye will guide you to who the perpetrator is. I figured it out halfway through the film. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy aspects of LOVE ME. It demonstrates well the act of obsession and the many difficulties that comes with teen dating. LOVE ME isn’t necessarily a good film, but I was never bored.
Video: It’s a nice looking film. None of the scenes are too dark, so you always know what is happening. The colors of the school uniforms really stand out.
Audio: Sound is key to teen oriented films. The soundtrack and score does not overtake the action and that is greatly appreciated.
Love Me: Behind the Scenes (7:14): The actors talk about their roles and the story in general.
Love Me: From the Set (6:10): Bloopers section. The actors also discuss their fellow actors and director Neil Bota.
